The UNFPA Botswana Country Office put issues of young girls at the centre of national conversations on World Population Day (WPD). Radio interviews were arranged with three national broadcasters (RB2, Duma FM and Yarona FM) to raise awareness on the theme of the WPD and advocate for investing in teenage girls. The first female paramount chief in Botswana Kgosi  Mosadi Seboko addressed the nation on radio and emphasized the responsibility of parents to prepare young girls to transition safely from adolescence to adulthood.

In Mogonye, a village 40 kilometres from the capital city, young girls aged 12 - 19 years old were interviewed about the challenges they face. The challenges they raised were compiled in a newspaper article published in the Sunday Standard, Mmegi Daily and The Voice, the biggest newspapers in the country. The young girls’ issues were also used as social media messages. A radio jingle emphasizing the need to invest in teenage girls for a sustainable future was produced and aired on the day on Yarona FM, a youth radio station.

 Short videos of teenage girls from across the country who participated at a UNFPA sponsored Debaters without Borders tournament were produced and shared on social media to raise awareness and advocate for investing in teenage girls. The young girls highlighted that it is hard to be a girl in their communities, and that there are persistent stereotypes on what girls can do and cannot do compared to boys.

Executive Director’s Statement

The Executive Director’s statement was shared with media contacts and covered on Gabz FM (private radio station) and Radio Botswana (national broadcaster) news bulletin.